V-Drive / Perkins 4-108

[SV Someday Came]

Wow!! Thank you folks so much! I got wrapped again with work, and did not have a chance to look at the forum this past week. For some reason, this installation blocks CF whereas my prior place did not. I am off to a conference this week, but I scrubbed the bolts and sprayed them with a loosener. My slip mate will spray the bolts a couple of times more while I am gone. The man I bought the boat from says it is possible to get the transmission out without removing the engine, but it is very difficult. He did it 5 years ago when he replaced that very seal. He say I will need to build a small frame with 2X4 to support the transmission as I ease it forwards. Why on earth would such a part fail after only 5 years? Is that normal? Anyways, I will be taking some time near the end of April to remove the transmission.

Thanks again for the support. This really helps pave the way for me.

Michael

[SV Someday Came]

It looks like there are two places to start removal of the transmission. One is aft of the mount, the other is forward of the mount.

Do I start at the aft location and remove the transmission in one piece, or start forward, remove that section, then remove the section attached to the engine?

Thanks.


Or should I think of simply repowering the whole things cause it looks a terrible mess? (rhetorical moaning, no reply needed!)

Michael

[Laidback]

Michael,
Do not remove the transmission !
Try the following simple course of acrtion :-
Disconnect the Red flex coupling from the Flange.
Push the Prop shaft Aft asfar as is possible
Then Take off the Large nut off the flange
Remove the Seal
And replace it with NEW seal
Put everything back together
Fill the transmission with new transmission oil
Start the engine and take the boat for a spin
Check for oil leaks

GOOD LUCK.

[SV Someday Came]

Wanted to bring this thread to a close in case another hapless Willard owner is faced with the same issue: replacing a 5 dollar part in an impossible place. To replace the 5.62$ seal between the V drive and the transmission, you do have to remove the transmission. You cannot remove the v drive by itself -- it just does not work that way. Nor can you push the shaft back _and_ press in a new seal. It just is not going to happen. I received a variety of quotes for this job. The range was the entire spectrum of nightmares: From hauling the boat and replacing the Willard 4 108 engine and v drive with transmission (16K) to do it yourself. Naturally, the reality was at neither extreme. Several shops billed the job at 1500 -- 2100$. But as Joe at Shelter Island Boat Yard in San Diego said (Who ultimately did the job): "it is a labor intensive job in a hard position -- you gotta get into a rhythm and turn wrenches" With the boat __in__ the water, he stabilized the prop shaft with a Tetris like linking of hefty zip ties, chocked the engine, and had the V Drive AND transmission back at his shop inside of 2.5 hours (ok, his shop was only 10 mins away) his efforts are a testament to simply getting the job done. Installation actually took longer than we expected: It is was hard and heavy to position the unit. Installation was about 3+ hours. Total cost: 1,000 dollars. That included new hoses, cracking the entire unit open and replacing multiple seals, flushing and steel brushing and painting the unit, and a nifty new dip stick that actually screws into the transmission. I have attached some pictures. Owning an older boat is a true PITA, but the lesson I learned is that *neither* the cheapest route nor the most expensive path "just take care of it" provides the best solution: It is always necessary to find competence. Money cannot provide competence.

[DeepFrz]

Wow, Michael, do they ever look good. Thanks for the update.

[olaf hart]

That is an amazing job for $1000, you should give us the contact details of the guy who did the job.

[perchance]

The propshaft coupling splines on the Vee drive should be sealed with rtv sealant to prevent oil migration along the splines. We were taught this at marine mechanics school as it is common for a leak to develop in this area.

[SV Someday Came]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

That is an amazing job for $1000, you should give us the contact details of the guy who did the job.

Joe at Shelter Island Boat Yard in San Diego. Really an amazing mechanic and worker. Exudes "can do, no problem" attitude -- then backs up his attitude with results and upfront pricing.